Knitting machine



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KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 22, 1932 7 sheetssheet 5 Nov. 7, 1933. A. E. PAGE.

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 22. 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Nov. 7, 1933.' AfE. PAGE KNITTING' MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed March 22, 1952 Patented Nov.. 7, i933 KNET'IING MACHINE Albert E. Page, Brooklyn, N. Y., assigner Scott a Williams, incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 22, i932. Serial No, 688,423

3d Claims.

` This invention relates to knitting machines, and more especially to mechanism whereby knit fabric, for instance, hosiery, may be patterned by plating and by oating certain of its constituent yarns. The patent to Grothey, No. 1,678,385, dated July 24, 1928, discloses mechanism for selectively actuating individual knitting instrumentalities throughout a circular series thereof for the production of patterned effectsl in the fabric, such mechanism including an individual jack for each knitting instrumentality, a jack actuating cam, and means for selectively engaging jacks with said cam comprising butts arranged longitudinally of the individual jacks in accordance with the pattern desired, and reader cams movable under control of suitable pattern devices into engagement with the jack butts. r

The copending application of Albert E. Page, Serial No. 389,183, filed August 29, 1929, discloses certain improvements upon and modifications of the devices disclosed in the said Grothey patent, such improvements and modifications permitting automatic pattern change from course to course at each needle, and pattern devices for this purpose capable of easy change or setting for variation in the particular pattern predetermined by the selecting devices as well as to increase the operative capacity of the Grothey machine to select needles for patterns of greater longitudinal extent between repeats and to make elements of varied pattern upon a background offabric itself patterned, employing inter alia for such purpose a reader cam which may be moved longitudinally of the jacks, once for each course of knitted stitches if desired.

In the copending application of Albert E. Page, Serial No. 359,962, there is disclosed a further development of the Grothey mechanism wherein provision is made for so selecting and actuating knitting instrumentalities individually or by groups as to cause them to repeat a given pattern in a predetermined cycle as many times as desired and at will to shift to another and different pattern cycle; employing for this purpose an auxiliary pattern drumcarr'ying a plurality of needle selector patterns made up of mutable pattern indications on the surface of the drum, together with a series of reader cams corresponding in number to the number of jack butts (or butt blanks) longitudinally of a given jack.

In the machine disclosed in the Page application last referred to, provision is made for patterning by plating one yarn upon another and at intervals floating the yarn, thereby to produce desired contrasts in color, texture or the likebetween the body fabric and the patterned areas, and in the copending application of Harry N. Sheppard, Serial No. 523,467, filed March 18, 1931, there are disclosed further improvements upon the last-named Page apparatus, whereby the use of three yarns for patterning is made possible, for example, to permit the formation of a ground fabric comprising a body yarn and a rst and a second yarn plated thereom-an extended pattern area whose stitches consist of the body yarn and the- No. 1 plating yarn only,- the No. 2 plating yarn floating at the back of the fabric; and, superposed upon said extended pattern area, a smaller area, for example, a spot wherein the body yam alone forms a loop, while both plating yarns float at the rear. Said Sheppard application describes, in combination with the Page auxiliary pattern drum and series of reader cams, a novel form of jack actuating i cam having a plurality of levels with which the jacks are selectively engaged by the reader cams, whereby individual jacks with their needles may be lifted to diierent levels respectively for selective cooperation with yarn guides disposed at dierent levels and/or different distances radially from the cylinder verge.

While the arrangement just described, as more fully disclosed in said Sheppard application, is extremely useful and desirable and dependably performs its intended function, I am aware that machines such as those disclosed in the Page application Serial No. 389,183, supra, have gone into extensive use and are somewhat simpler and less expensive to manufacture than those of the type embodying an auxiliary pattern drum and multiplicity of 'cooperating reader cams. Thus the principal object of the present invention is to provide means of simple, yet effective, character whereby fabric, such as the product of the mechanism disclosed in the aforesaid Sheppard application Serial No. 523,467, may be made upon the simpler mechanism of the Page application Serial No. 389,183 without adding substantially to the complexity, cost, diiculty of operation, or maintenance of the latter type of machine.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide for the manufacture of multiple spliced or plated float-stitch patterned fabrics upon a machine having a smallnumber, for example, two reader cams, and in particular to improved mechanism such as disclosed in the application of Page,y Serial No. 389,183 to permit the formation of fabric wherein one or more plating yarns may be knitted in plated relation to each other and to a body yarn or yarns and at will floated either singly or in multiple at the back of the fabric. A further object is to provide patterning means of the desired capabilities, adapted to be incorporated in commercial knitting machines of the type referred to without interference with the normal and orderly operation of such machines in theproduction of knitted articles of definite character, for example, stockings.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent in the following more detailed description, it being noted that when reference is herein made to a body yarn and a pair of splicing or plating yarns as taking part in the pattern formation, the yinvention is not necessarily to be limited to the use of a single body yarn, since a splicing, reinforcing or other yarn may at times be desirably incorported with the body yarn or substituted for the latter, while it is further to be understood that more than two plating or splicing yarns may be used in the same stitch or as substitutes, one for the other, and that when more than two plating yarns are used in the same stitch, appropriate means may be provided in accordance with this invention for selectively determining the number of such yarns which will at any time enter into the stitch loop or which shall float at the rear of the fabric,

In the accompanying drawings certain desirable embodiments of the invention are disclosed by Way of example as incorporated in a circular knitting machine of the general type disclosed in the patents to Scott, No. 1,282,958, October 29, 1928; No. 1,256,062, February 12, 1928; and No. 1,237,256, August 14, 1917; as well as the patent to Grothey, No. 1,678,385, July 24, 1928, to which patents reference may be had for a disclosure of structure and operation not herein specifically illustrated or described.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of a typical stocking such as may be made by the mechanism herein described;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic face view, to large scale, illustrating fabric ornamented with the particular kind of patterns shown in Fig. 1 at f;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one relation of jack butts and reader cams useful in attaining the desired result;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of a circular knitting machine of a wel] known type illustrated as having one embodiment of the invention incorporated therein;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary left side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail elevation to larger scale, on a vertical radial plane of the knitting machine cylinder, showing a desirable arrangement ofguide plates for the reader cams as employed in the mechanism of Figs. 4 and 5;

` Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the capability of the machine to form stitch loops comprising l, 2 or 3 yarns;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating another desirable relation of jack butts and reader cams in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but illustrating mechanism useful in relating the reader cams to jack butts as illustrated in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a left hand side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 9;

Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are sections on radial planes of the needle carrier showing respectively needles and jacks in position for knitting a body yarn only;-for knitting a body yarn and one plating yarn while floating another yarn; and for knitting a body yarn and two plating yarns in the same loop;

Fig. 14 is an internal development of the cam cylinder showing the relation of needle and jack cams and the yarn feed guides to the needles and jacks;

Fig. 15 is a detail in plan; and

Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic elevation showing a preferred operative relation of certain yarn feed guides to needles traveling in certain paths.

As herein disclosed the invention is illustrated for convenience and for specific example as embodied in a circular rotary needle cylinder machine. but without intention to limit .its utility to such specific environment. Since the machine chosen as illustrative of a useful application of the invention is essentially similar in all of its general functions and mechanisms to those more fully disclosed in the above-noted patents to Grothey and Scott, it suices herein briefly to indicate such parts as are fundamental to the general machine operation and to particularize only as to those which have to do with the novel functions pertaining to the present invention.

Thus the machine as illustrated may comprise a suitable main frame A, (Fig. 10) housing or supporting driving and motion changing devices,-primary and main pattern mechanism,- etc., and also supporting the overhanging bed B carrying a horizontal needle-carrier driving bevel gear (not shown) which comprises a depending sleeve Within which is splined the vertically elongate needle cylinder 260 which may be adjustable vertically within said sleeve by usual means for variation of stitch length and the like. The needle cylinder is longer than usual circular knitting machine needle carriers so that its tricks 'or grooves may accommodate the needles n (of usual type) (Fig. 11) the needle jacks 3480 having operating butts 381; and the pattern jacks '700,

each of the latter preferably having a rocking point r on its rear or inner edge. The pattern jacks are in that part of the needle cylinder which is exposed between the bed B and a secondary bed C which carries the usual instruments useful in controlling the needles in the knitting of hosiery, 'for example. The machine may have the usual yarn guide or feed fingers F (Figs. 15 and 16). For example, six of such fingers may be provided, being supported and guided in the usual overhead bracket (not shown). The machine may also have the usual web holder bed 295 and web holder cam cap 300; the usual latch ring structure; and, if desired, an instrument dial (not shown), as fully pointed out and described in the aforesaid patents to Scott.

The operations of the machine may in the first instance be controlled by a primary pattern surface made as a mutable link chain 60 (Fig. 10) carried by a sprocket loose on a main pattern shaft 80, said sprocket being driven by suitable pawl and ratchet mechanism, which need not be` described in detail. The main pattern shaft 80 carries the clutch shifting cam drum 90 and may also carry a belt shifter cam drum (not shown), and to this shaft is geared a pattern drum carrying various controlling indications for the moving parts of the machine, the shaft 80 and drum 120 turning once in the production of each article, for example, a stocking, which is to be knit.

For controlling certain other instrumentalities,

for instance, the yarn feed fingers, for which the slowly turning main pattern drum 120 is ill adapted, the machine is, as usual, provided with an auxiliary drum 710, (Fig. 5) preferably mounted on a shaft 711 at the back of the machine, such drum being fixed to a ratchet (at the end of the drum away from the observer in Fig. 5) adapted to be rocked by a pawl tooth 712 on a pawl 713 which is conveniently reciprocated by pivoting the pawl to a lever arm 714 having its fulcrum at 93 and having a cam follower bearing against a cam 715 on the shaft 32. Appropriate pattern controlled devices (not herein specifically disclosed), which may, if desired, be of the type more fully described in the copending application of Page, Serial No. 389,183, may be provided for determining the engagement of the pawl tooth 712 with the ratchet for driving the drum 710 or to cause it to dwell at proper intervals during the knitting operation.

The yarn feed guides may be moved into and out of action by means of cams on drum 7l0and said cams may, as usual, act upon levers which take into notches in some of the usual thrust bars, according to the patent to Scott, No. 1,236,770, dated August 14, 1917, the lower ends of the thrust bars resting upon cams on the drum 120 during normal action.

Referring to Fig. 14, which is an internal development of the cam cylinder showing one preferred arrangement of needle controlling cams, I have indicated stitch cams 360 and 361 with a top center cam 357 and, if desired, a bottom center cam 358 designed for rotary and reciprocating knitting as usual in conjunction with riser cams on `cam ring 271 designed to lift the butts of needles 1L at 41 to the tuck point, at which previous loops are not clearedbelow the latches. A switch cam 415 and guard cam 410 may serve the usual stocking knitting purposes and pro-,

vide means for lowering lifted needles into range of the part 41 of the cam ring 271. cam 382 may, upon occasion, be moved into contact with butts of needles n for switching them.

below the leading stitch cam 361 and the center cam 358, whereupon such needles pass yarn fed from any of the yarn fingers F1, F2, F3, F4, F5lor F5 of the series of yarn feeding fingers in the feed throat F10 Without contact with the new yarn until after passing the lower apex of cam 360. The cams 361`and 382 may be severally moved radially out of contact with the butts of needles n and when so moved, needles passing at 41 retain their level at the tuck position, as shown at the path k3 until they Contact with the face of stitch cam 360 (or at a supplemental cam 360 which may be inserted to depress needles having longer butts at an earlier time).

In respect to anymain or body yarn (fed by yarn fingers F1, F2 etc.) all needles passing at level k3 or in a more elevated position can take that yarn. When needles travel in the path k3 they do not operatively take a plating yarn fed at a considerable lead or from a higher position, for example, from finger F5 or finger FG, but are fed with any main or splicing yarn from fingers F1, F2 or F3. Needles lifted to level k2 take yarns y and y2 in plating relation to each other but miss the yarn y3 which passes to the back of such needles and fioats.

Stitches made at needles passing along the level k3 lie in front of an internal float of yarn from finger F5, or yarns from fingers F5 and F6, lying between face groups of body yarn fed from fingers F1, F2, F3 or F1. Needles at the level k2 A dividing courses, they are tucked loops; and if the latches have cleared and the cam 382 is adjusted to cause the needles to pass beneath the leading stitch cam 361, such needles will drop their stitches.

The machine provides a movable clearing cam 362 usually in operation ahead of the switch cam `415 to cause needle latches to be cleared through their previous loops, and when this cam is in use all needles taking the path-k? knit fabric from yarns fed at a low level, such as a yarn y fed from one of the fingers F1, F2 or F3 to form loops such as shown at the right-hand side of Fig. 7. On the other hand, needles lifted to the level k2 make loops of the yarn y regularly plated on their faces with yarn y2 from guide F5, as shown at the center of Fig. 7, While needles lifted to the level k knit loops of yarn y regularly plated on their faces with -loops of yarn ya' overlying loops of yarn y2, as shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 7. rIhe cams 361, 362 and 382 are automatically operated by usual connections from suitable indications on the pattern surface'120.

The needles are lifted to the several level's k and k2 above the tuck level k3 by the operation of needle jacks 380moved by the selector jacks 700. These selector jacks are lifted by a normally fixed jack lifting cam 741 conveniently mounted on the bed B and concentric with but spaced outwardly from the needle cylinder 260. The upper edge of this cam 741 preferably is beveled to engage beneath the undercut lowerl operating butts 701 of the selector jacks 700 so as to raise or advance any jacks 700 which have been swung outwardly and which reach it in the position of Fig. 13, so that such jacks 700 are moved upwardly, thereby lifting the corresponding needle jacks 380 and needles to the path k. If `the cam 361 is in operative position, this molll() tion of the jacks 700 is without result, since al1 the needles reach the path 7c before the feeding point by rising along the' top surface of cam 361. Before the jacks 700 reach the cam 741 their lower ends are rocked outwardly by a cam arm 747, (Figs. 4 and 11) preferably controlled by a thrustbar resting upon the cam drum 120. The lower ends of the jacks are thereafter acted upon selectively to return them toward their inner positions by reader cams adapted, by engagement with butts on the jacks 700, to push the lower ends of such jacks inwardly out of range of the actuating surfaces of the lifting cam 741.

In accordance with the present invention this cam 741 provides a full profile capable of lifting the jacks 700 with the needle jacks 380 and corresponding needles to the level k, but this cam 741 is also provided 'with an interior ledge or channel 742 having its apex at a lesser height than the apex of the main portion of cam 741, such secondary or inner apex being at such a height as to lift the jacks 700 to an intermediate position wherein the corresponding needles are raised to the level k2 only.

I may, if desired, employ a vertically fixed reader cam 770 (Fig. 4) for selecting needles for some predetermined special purpose, for example, for making a starting selvage, by causing alternate needles to knit during the formation of K starting courses as fullydescribed in the patent to Scott No. 1,282,958. For this purpose the botof butts and spaces such that alternate jacks will be moved in by the vertically fixed reader cam 770 and thus will not rise at the cam 741, whereas those without butts will remain in the outer position and will be lifted by the cam 741 so as to cause their needles to take yarn into their hooks. This reader cam 770 preferably is moved into and out of action at intervals, and for this purpose is carried by a lever 769 (Fig. 5) connected by a link 761 to an arm 762 at the upper end of a vertical shaft 763 having a horizontal operating arm 764 which bears against an appropriately shaped cam or series of cams on the end of the drum 120.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention I provide a pair of vertically movable reader cams 750a and 750" (Figs. 3, 5 and 6) forselecting jacks for actuation by the cam 741 in accordance with av predetermined pattern or patterns. Preferably each of the cams 750a and 750b is made as a plate which is thin at its inner edge for selective contact with patterning butts of the jacks 700. Each of the cams 7503 and 7501 is attached to a sleeve 7m and 7n respectively, (Fig. 5) vertically slidable upon a shaft 751. Conveniently, cam 750a is urged downwardly by a compression spring 765 coiled about the shaft 751, while cam 750" may be urged downwardly by a tension spring 765a connected at one end to the bell-crank lever (having the arm 8011 hereafter move fully described), and having its other end anchored to a convenient fixedpart of the machine. The free ends of the cams 750a and 7501 are held in accurately spaced relation with reference to the needle cylinder by means of adjustable guide plates 772a and 772b respectively, (Fig. 6) mounted on a post 771 by means of a plurality of set screws 772n1 and 772n respectively, thereby permitting accurate and independent adjustment of the position and angular relation of the inner guiding surfaces of the plates 772a and 772b with reference to the adjacent surface of the needle carrier.

If desired, the inner guiding surface of the upper plate 7728, which pushes the jacks inward completely away from cam 741, may be substantially vertical and parallel to the needle cylinder, as shown in Fig. 6, but it is desirable to incline the inner guiding face of the lower plate 772b so as substantially to correspond to the inclination of the lower part of a jack when the latter is swung to its outermost position by the cam 747. The inclination of this lower plate is desirable in view of the fact that the reader cam guided thereby is designed accurately to move jacks inwardly just sufcient to escape the high portion of the cam 741 without being moved so far inward as to escape the ledge 742 of said cam, and thus accurate positioning of the lower reader cam becomes necessary and is made possibleby the inclination of the plate 772i. Y

Preferably when using the two reader cams 750 and 7501, and the individually adjustable guide plates described, the butts on the jacks 700 are divided to form an upper and a lower group u and p respectively (Fig. 3), each such group being shown, by way of example, as having six butts or butt spaces with a space between the groups, if desired.

The patterning butts of both seriesmay be of the same uniform length, but the setting of plate 772'r1 is such that when the reader cam 750a engages between the plate and a butt of the series u, the Acorresponding jack is rocked back substantially to the bottom of its groove and completely out of position to engage the cam 741. On the other hand, the setting of plate 772b is such that when the reader cam 7501 is disposed between the plate and a jack butt, the latter is moved inwardly to miss the upper edge of cam 741 but not far enough to miss the lower ledge 742 of said cam.

The sleeves 7m and 7n carrying the reader cams 750a and 7501, respectively, are moved up and down along the shaft l step by step in opposition to the springs 765 and 765a respectively by appropriate means, and either as a unit or independently, as may be preferred, but for the broadest range of utility in pattern formation it is desirable to provide means for moving the two reader cams independently. Thus preferably provision is made for independent pattern control of these two cams, and to this end I prefer to provide a pair of bell-crank levers mounted to rock upon a fixed horizontal shaft 718, each lever comprising an arm 801", 8011, respectively, having a lifting toe at its end disposed beneath and in contact with the sleeves 7m and 7n, respectively, or directly with the cams 750a and 750b, if preferred. As shown, the end of lever arm 801b is forked to receive a pin projecting from the sleeve 7". Each bell-crank lever also comprises arm 803a and 803b, respectively, provided with cam followers 806a and 8061, respectively, adapted to engage series of cams 800 upon the peripheral surface of the cam drum 710. Preferably two such series of pattern cams are disposed side by side on the drum 710, one of said series controlling one of the aforesaid bell-crank levers and the other controlling the second bell-crank lever. These pattern cams are preferably built up from interchangeable removable blocks, so as topermit setting up any desired pattern sequence. For example, as shown in Fig. 5, seven such blocks are mounted upon the cam drum 710, while the surface of the drum itself may be considered as the lowermost cam of the series. Since the arrangement herein described provides for considerable economy in the length of the pattern cams, it is possible, in making many patterns, to arrange two or more successive patterns upon the same drum 710, so as to permit shift from one pattern to another, merely by rotation of this drum.

As a :pecific example of the utility of the present invention and to avoid undue complication by description of obvious and well-known operations, let it be assumed that the knitting has progressed in orderly fashion down to that point in ,the stocking leg at which a pattern effect is to be introduced, and further to simplify matters let it be assumed that lthe pattern effect now to be produced is such a diamond or lozenge-shaped area, as indicated at f, Fig, 1, Let it also be assumed that the cam 361 has been withdrawn from operative position and that the cam 362 is in its operative position. Further to simplify the discussion, the sequence of stich formation will now b'e described with reference to the knitting of that Wale w, (Fig. 3) of the fabric which contains the lengthwise diagonal of the pattern figure, and with the understanding that course No. I (Fig. 3), which is that next preceding the rst course of the pattern, is to contain the body yarn y (white) together with the first plating yarn y2 (blue), and the second plating yarn g3 (brown) that in courses Nos. II and III vthe stitches in Wale w will contain the body yarn y and the plating yarn y2 with the yarn g3 floating at the back; that in courses IV, V and VI the body yarn y lalone will knit, while the yarn y2 and g3 float; that in courses VII and VIII the body yarn y and the splicing yarn y2 will knit while the yarn g3 floats; and that in course IX and subsequent courses all of the yarns will knit.

To this end, and by the employment of the instruments described, it suffices to break off all of the butts of jack 700 corresponding to the wale w, except two in the group u and two in the group p, as shown in Fig. 3, and to arrange the pattern cams 800 on the drum 710 in the sequence indicated in Fig. 5, it being understood in this particular instance that the series of cams 800 corresponding respectively to the two reader cams are alike.

When so arranged and assuming that the cam followers 806tt and 806b both rest on the surface of the drum 710 (that is to say at the lowest level of the Aseries of pattern cams 800), the reader cams 750el and 750b will be in their lowermost position for the formation of course No. I. Since the corresponding butts of the series u and p are broken away, the jack corresponding to `the Wale w is not rocked inwardly before reaching the cam 741, and thus rises to its full height,

carrying its needle up to the path k where it takes the yarns g3, y2 and y and knits them in plating relation-the yarn 213 (for example a brown yarn) being on the outer face of the fabric. Before starting the next course (No. II) the reader cams are raised by the pattern cams 800 (the drum 710 having been racked forward for this purpose) to the level of the second butts of the series u and p. At this level the reader cam 7501 engages a butt onthe jack and moves the jack inward so as to be engaged by the intermediate level 742 of the cam 741, but as the reader cam 750a finds no butt at this level the jack remains in this intermediate position and lifts its needle to the path k2 where it takes the yarns y2 and y but passes in front` of the yarn 113, thus knitting the blue plating yarn y2 on the body yarn y to form the face of the fabric. Before starting course HI the reader cams are again raised by the next step of the cam series 800, but since the jack butts at this level are the same as during the formation of course II, the jack will be similarly actuated and yarns y2 and y will again knit in wale w while yarn 113 floats.

When the reader cams are raised for the formation of the course IV the cam 750b finds no corresponding jack butt at Wale w, but cam 750a comes opposite a butt in the series u and thus Y pushes the jack in far enough to escape the cam 7418. Thus its needle hook travels in the path 7c3 and passes in front of yarns y3 and y2, taking only the white yarn y in its hook, thus producing the lowermost stitch of the inner white spot at the center` of the diamond shaped blue pattern area on the brown ground. For the formation of course V the reader cams are again raised by the cams 800, but at this level the reader cam '750b finds no butt, while the cam 750a finds a' butt of series u and again the yarn y knits alone in the wale w. For knitting course VI (it being noted that the pattern under discussion is symmetrical, it is desirable, in order to avoid complication, to cause the reader cams to reverse their movement, that is to say to descend instead of to rise further, thus being returned to the position that they occupied in the formation of course IV. Thus in making course VI the reader cams act in the same way as in making course IV, the cam 750b finding no butt on the jack, while the cam '750a acts upon a butt of the series u so that again the needle knits only with the yarn y. The reader cams are now lowered step by step for courses VII, VIE and IX, so that the needles at whale w repeat the operations carried out at courses III, II and I, respectively, thus completing Wale w of the pattern figure.

Obviously for producing the other wales of the figure the jack butts of the series u and p will be properly disposed, as will be understood by those skilled in vthis art, so that as the reader cams are raised and lowered the jacks will be rocked all of the way in,-part of the way in,-or left in outermost position, as the case may be, for the formation of the desired stitches in each wale and course.

In the above description the reader cams 750a and 750b have been indicated as always moving together in the same direction and to the same extent, and for the operation described such cams might well be connected so as always to remain at the same distance apart, and might be operated by a single series of cams on the drum 710, but obviously for certain pattern effects it may be desirable to move one cam in only one direction or to cause it to dwell without moving all, or to move oppositely to the other, as determined by corresponding cams 800 on the drum 710, and since, as above noted, the present arrangement provides for good economy in the arrangement of cams on the periphery of the drum 710, it is readily possible to furnish the latter with more than one series of cams 800 in sequence, each series corresponding to a different pattern control of the jack butts of one of the series u and p so that many combinations of pattern are possible by the employment of the arrangement described.

Furthermore, for even greater economy in the use of the drum 710 as a pattern control surface, it is obviously possible to provide auxiliary connections for actuating one of the reader cams, for example the cam 750e, for instance, by mechanism such as disclosed in the application of -Page Serial No. 389,183, above referred to, wherein provision is made for moving a reader cam alternately up and down in the formation of successive' courses without corresponding movement of the Acam drum 710.

In the alternative arrangement disclosed in Figs. 8 to 13, inclusive, I provide for attainment of similar results by the use of a single movable reader cam, but with the understanding that a plurality of independently movable reader cams might perhaps be used to advantage even in this arrangement for the purpose of making highly complex patterns, or patterns in greater variety in succession.

In Figs. 8 to 13, corresponding mechanical parts are marked similarly to those in the preceding figures, and it is therefore unnecessary to viously described, and the lower parts of the jacks are rocked outwardly by lthe resetting cam 747 before reaching the cam 741.

In this case each jack is provided with a series of patterning buttsv of different length, fourteensuch butts here being shown (it .being understood in the present discussion that butt spaces are to be understood as the equivalent of butts so far as the vertical spacing of these elements is concerned).

In this arrangement aline along the outer ends of the medium length butts is inclined downwardly toward the rear edge of the jack, preferably from a point just below the rocking point 1' of the jack, at such an angle that the outer ends of the medium length jack butts are disposed in a plane substantially parallel to the inner guide face of the plate '172x when the lower end of the jack has been rocked to the central position shown in Fig. 12. With this arrangement the interposition of the reader cam 750a between the plate '772x and any medium length butt of the series will be effective to swing the jack to substantially the same distance inwardly. The long butts are of such length that aline drawn along their outer ends will be parallel with the inner edge of the jack. Now by leaving any butt at its full length, the engagement of the reader cam therewith will rock the jack inwardly to the position of Fig. 11 where it escapes cam 741 altogether, so that the corresponding needle hook moves in the path k3. If a butt be cut off to intermediate length, the engagement of the reader cam therewith will move the jack inwardly until it engages only the cam ledge 742 (Fig. 12) thereby causing its needle hook to travel in the path k2, while, if a butt is removed altogether, the jack will remain in its outermost position and will ride up to the top of cam 741 so that its needle hook will travel in the path lc.

If, for example, a jack '700 be provided with butts, as shown in Fig. 8, and the reader cam 750@- be raised course after course until it reaches course V and then returns downward step by step, the stitches necessary to form the Wale w of the pattern spot of Fig. 2 will be formed in substantially the same way as above described, it being noted that the active series of butts on the particular jack which forms this Wale w comprises two butts of medium length followed by two butts of full length, and that the cams 800 on the drum 710 will, for this purpose, be disposed substantially like those above described and shown in Fig. 5. Obviously, if desired, the butts on jack '700 may be arranged in symmetrical series and the reader cam '7509- may be moved always in the same direction during the formation of a given pattern area, for example by providing the drum 710 with a series of cam blocks 800, which increase successively in height from one end to the other.

While I have herein shown and described certain desirable arrangements for obtaining the desired result without necessarily complicating the machine to any substantial extent, I wish it to be understood that other and equivalent arrangements may be employed, and that the inventions herein described may rind utility in knitting machines of other specic type than that herein illustrated, all within Ithe scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A knitting machine comprising needles and means cooperating therewith to form courses of knitted loops from yarn properly presented to the needles, means for delivering a. plurality of yarns each in a different relation with respect to the needles, and selecting means for determining the taking of any yarn or yarns by the individual needles, said selecting means comprising jacks individual to the several needles, each jack having a plurality of butts, certain of said butts differing from others in length, means for y moving jacks longitudinally from an idle position to a selected one of a plurality of different operative positions in accordance with corresponding positions of' the jacks in a transverse direction, and means movable longitudinally of the jacks and by engagement with a selected butt of a given jack, moving the jack transversely to a distance depending upon the length of the engaged butt, thereby indirectly determining the operative position .of the jack in a longitudinal direction.

2. A knitting machine comprising needles and means cooperating therewith to form courses of knitted loops from yarn properly presented to the needles, means for delivering a plurality of yarns each in a different relation with respect to the needles, and selecting means for determining the taking of any yarn or yarns by the individual needles, said selecting means comprising jacks individual to the several needles, each jack having a plurality of butts, certain of said butts being of one length, and other butts being of another length, a plurality of elements engageable with the jacks and operative respectively to lift the jacks from an idle position to a selected one of a plurality of different positions, and a pair of jack positioning elements movable longitudinally and independently relatively to the jacks, said elements cooperating respectively with jack butts of different length, and, by engagement with a selected butt of a given jack, moving such jack transversely to a distance dependent upon the length of the engaged butt, thereby determining with which one, if any, of said jack lifting elements, said jack shall engage.

3. A knitting machine having therein in combination, a needle carrier, needles and withdrawing means adapted to move the needles from an advanced to a retracted position to knit, means for advancing the needles to a normal level prior to their actuation by said withdrawing means, a plurality of needle lifting elements operative respectively to move needles to a selected one of a plurality of different and higher levels, means for feeding yarn to be taken by needles at the several levels respectively, jacks for imparting motion to the needles as determined by said needle lifting elements, and means for selectively engaging jacks with the several needle lifting elements for actuation by the latter, said selecting means comprising selecting indications upon the jacks, said indications being of a plurality of distinct varieties, and a jack positioning part movable longitudinaly of the jacks and by cooperation with said selecting indications causing the jacks to move transversely with respect to the several lifting elements, the particular variety of selecting indications upon a jack, with which the jack positioning part engages, determining the extent of transverse movement of the jack and thereby determining the lifting element, if any, with which the jack shall engage.

4. A knitting machine comprising needles and operative positions, each jack having a plurality of butts,' and a pair of selecting cams movable longitudinally of the jacks for selective engagement with the jack butts, each of said cams being associated with a predetermined group of butts, each selector cam and the group of butts with which it is associated being so constructed and arranged that engagement of a selector cam with a butt of its associated group will move the corresponding jack transversely to a distance different from that to which such jack is moved by engagement of another selector cam with a butt of its associated group, thereby to determine with which, if any, ofsaid jack lifting means a given jack `shall engage.

5. A knitting machine comprising needles and means cooperating therewith to form courses of knitted loops from yarn properly presented to the needles, means for delivering a plurality of yarns each in a dierent relation with respect to the needles, and selecting means for determining the taking of any yarn or yarns by the individual needles, said selecting means comprising jacks individual to the several needles, each jack having a plurality of butts extending longitudinally thereof, cam means having a plurality of levels operative respectively to move the jacks longitudinally to different operative positions, two independent jack positioning elements, each movable longitudinally of the jacks, each of said elements being operative, by engagement with a `iack butt, to determine the operative relation of the corresponding jack to one of said cam levels, and pattern means for moving said jack positioning elements longitudinally of the jacks, thereby selectively to determine the cam level, if any, with which any given jack shall cooperate.

6. A knitting machine comprising a needle carrier having elongate slots therein, independent needles disposed in the slots of the needle lcarrier, and meansncooperating therewith to form courses of knitted loops from yarn properly presented to the needles, means for delivering a plurality of yarns each in a different relation with respect to the needles, and selecting means for determining the taking of any yarn or yarns by individual needles, said selecting means comprising jacks each associated with a needle, each jack being disposed vin a groove of the needle carrier, a portion at least of each jack being movable transversely toward and from the needle carrier, each jack having a longitudinally extending series of butts, the outer ends of some of the butts being at a greater distance than others from the needle carrier, at least when the jacks are in their outermost positions relatively to the needle carrier, a plurality `of jack actuating elements engageable kwith the jacks and operative respectively to move the jacks longitudinally to different predetermined distances from an idle position, and jack positioning means movable longitudinally of the series of jack butts andoperative by engagement with said butts to move the jacks transversely relatively to the needle carrier, said positioning means being operative, by engagement with butts whose free ends are at dierent distances respectively from the needle carrier, to move corresponding jacks to different distances, thereby to determine with which of the jack actuating elements, if any, a given jack shall engage.

7. A circular knitting machine comprising a needle cylinder and-independent needles therein and means cooperating therewith to form courses of knitted loops from yarn properly presented to the needles, means for delivering a plurality of yarns each in a different relation with respect to the needles, and selecting means for determining the taking of any yarn or yarns by individual needles, said selecting means comprising jacks independently movable longitudinally of the needle cylinder, each jack having a part, at least, which is movable radially of the cylinder, each jack having a longitudinally extending series of butts upon said radially movable part, the outer ends of certain butts being at a greater distance than others from the axis of the needle cylinder, at least when the jacks are in outermost radial position, cam means having a plurality of levels at different radial distances, respectively, from the needle cylinder and operative by engagement with jacks to move the jacks longitudinally to different operative positions, respectively, and jack positioning means shiftable longitudinally of the series of jack butts and acting by engagement with different butts of a given jack to shift the jack radially to different distances, respectively, in accordance with the distance to which the engaged butt projects from the axis of the needle cylinder, thereby to determine with which of the cam levels, if any, a givenjack shall engage.

8. A knitting machine having therein lin combination a needle carrier, needles and withdrawing means adapted to move the needles from an advanced to a retracted position to knit, means for advancing needles to a normal level prior to their actuation by said withdrawing means, a plurality of needle lifting cams operative respectively to move needles from the normal level to different and higher levels, means for feeding yarn to be taken by needles at the several levels respectively, jacks for imparting motion to the needles as determined by said needle lifting cams, each jack having a part, at least, which is arranged to rock relatively to the needle carrier, and means for selectively rocking said jack parts to different distances, respectively, to determine their operative relation to the several lifting cams, said jack rocking means comprising groups of butts extending longitudinally of each jack, the several groups being at different distances, respectively, from the rocking point of the transversely movable jack part, an independent selector element corresponding to each series of butts',

each of the several selector elements being movable longitudinally of its group of butts, each selector being arranged to move jacks to a different radial distance from that to which they are moved by other selector elements, thereby to determine with which lifting cam, if any, a given jack shallengage, and pattern means operative to determine the' position of each selector element longitudinally of its cooperating group of jack butts.

9. A circular independent knitting machine having therein in combination a needle cylinder, needles, and withdrawing means4 adapted to move the needles from an advanced to a retracted position to knit, means for advancing needles to a normal level prior to their actuation by said withdrawing means, a plurality of needle lifting cams respectively for moving needles to different and higher levels, said cams being disposed at different radial distances, respectively, from the cylinder means for feeding yarn to be taken by needles at the several levels respectively, jacks for imparting movement to the needles as determined by said needle lifting cams, and means for selectively engaging jacks with the several needle lifting cams for actuation by the latter, said selecting means comprising a series of butts extending longitudinally of the jacks, a plurality of Aselector elements independently movable longitudinally of the series of butts, each selector element being arranged to cooperate with a predetermined group only of said series of butts and, by engagement with any butt of such group, to move the corresponding jack radially, the several selector elements being arranged to move jacks to different distances, respectively, lthereby selectively to determine with which lifter cam, if any, a given jack shall engage, means for guiding each selector element in its movement longitudinally of its particular group of. jack butts, and pattern means for positioning the several selector elements.

10. A circular independent needle knitting machine having a needle cylinder, needles therelifting cams selectively engageable with said jacks to move the needles to different levels, means for delivering yarn to needles at said several levels, each jack having a series of controlling butts, and cam ,devices substantially less in number than the whole number of butts in the series, said cam devices being movable longitudinally of the series, and operative by engagement with a jack butt to displace the corresponding jack laterally, each such cam device displacing a jack with whose butt it contacts to a different amount. 4

11. A circular independent needle knitting machine having a needlecylinder, needles therein, means forl actuating the needles to knit including individual jacks for the' needles, and lifting cams selectively engageable with said jacks to move the needles to different levels, means for-delivering yarn to needles at said several levels, each jack having a plurality of groups of controlling butts, a plurality of l reader cams for cooperation with the jack butts to displace the jacks laterally Iout of the path of said lifting cams, each reader cam cooperating with a predetermined group ofthe ljack butts, and means for moivng each reader cam-V longitudinally of its corresponding group 'of jacks.

12. A circular'independent knitting machine having therein in combination needles, a plurality of needle lifting cams, respectively, for moving'needles to different levels, longitudinally movable jacks for imparting movement to the needles as determined by said needle lifting cams, said jacks beingalso arranged to move transversely, and means for selectively engaging jacks with the several needle lifting cams for actuation by the latter, said selecting means comprising a plurality of butts extending longitudinally of each jack, a plurality of reader cams movable longitudinally of the jacks, such reader cams, by engagement with jack butts, rocking the jacks and thereby determining the lifter cam with which a jack shall engage, and pattern means operative to adjust the reader cams.-

13. A knitting machine having therein in combination, a needle carrier, needles and withdrawing means adapted to move the needles from an advanced to a retracted position to knit, means for advancing needles to a normal level prior to their actuation by said withdrawing means, a plurality of needle lifting cams respectively for moving needles to different and higher levels, means for feeding yarn to be taken by needles at the several levels respectively, jacks for imparting motion to the needles as determined by said needle lifting cams, a series of butts extending lengthwise of each jack, a pair of reader cams each cooperating with a predetermined group of said series of butts, and means for moving each reader cam longitudinally of its group of butts.

14. A knitting machine having therein in combination, a needle carrier, needles and withdrawing means adapted to move the needles from an advanced to a retracted position to knit, means for advancing needles to a normal level prior to their actuation by said withdrawing means, a plurality of needle lifting cams respectively for moving needles to different and higher levels, means for feeding yarn to be taken by needles at the several levels respectively, jacks for imparting motion to the needles as determined by said needle lifting cams, a plurality of butts extending lengthwise of each jack, a plurality of reader cams each movable longitudinally of the jacks, each reader cam cooperating with a predetermined group of the butts of each jack, each reader cam, by engagement with a jack butt of its predetermined group, moving said jack to determine its relation to one of said lifter cams respectively.

15. A knitting machine having therein in combination, a needle carrier, needles and withdrawing means adapted to move the needles from an advanced to a retracted position to knit, means for advancing needles to a normal level prior to their actuation by said withdrawing means, a plurality of needle lifting cams respectively for moving needles to different and higher levels, means for feeding yarn to be taken by needles at the several levels, respectively, jacks for imparting motion to the needles as determined by said needle lifting cams,lcertain at least of said jacks each having a plurality of butts extending length- Wise thereof, a plurality of reader cams each movable independently longitudinally of the jacks, each reader cam cooperating with a predetermined group of the butts of each jack, Ieach reader cam by engagement with a jack butt of its predetermined group operating to move said jack to determine its relation to one of said lifter cams respectively, and pattern means for positioning the reader cams.

16. A knitting machine having therein in combination, a needle carrier, needles and withdrawing means adapted to move the needles from an advanced to a retracted position to knit, means for advancing needles to a normal level prior to their actuation by said withdrawing means, a. plurality of needle lifting cams respectively for moving needles to different and higher levels, means for feeding yarn to be taken by needles at the several levels respectively, jacks for imparting motion to the needles as determined by said needle lifting cams, certain at least of said jacks each having a series of butts extending lengthwise thereof, a plurality of reader cams each cooperating with a predetermined group of said series of butts, and independent pattern means for determining the position of each reader cam longitudinally of its group of jack butts.

1'7. A knitting machine having therein in combination, a needle carrier, needles and'withdrawing means adapted to move the needles ,from an advanced to a retracted position` to knit, means for advancing needles to a normal level prior to their actuation by said withdrawing means, a plurality of needle lifting cams respectively for moving needles to different and higher levels, means for feeding yarn to be taken by needles at the several levels, respectively, jacks for imparting motion to the needles as determined by said needle lifting cams, a plurality of butts extending lengthwise of each jack, a plurality of reader cams each movable longitudinally of the jacks, each reader cam cooperating with a predetermined group of the butts of each jack, each reader cam by engagement with a jack butt of its predetermined group operating to move said jack to determine its operative relation to one of said lifter cams, respectively, and pattern means and connections controlled thereby operative selectively to position said reader cams independently of one another.

18. A knitting machine having therein in combination, needles, a plurality of needle lifting cams respectively for moving needles to diierent levels, jacks for imparting motion to the needles as determined by said needle lifting cams, a plurality of butts extending lengthwise of each jack, a plurality of reader cams each cooperating with a predetermined group of said butts, pattern controlled means for moving each reader cam longitudinally of its group of butts, means for guiding one reader cam to cause it to displace jacks transversely to an extent sufcient to prevent their engagement with one lifting cam, and means for moving another reader cam to cause it to displace jacks transversely to an extent sufllcient to prevent their engagement with another lifter cam. 19. A circular independent knitting machine having therein in combination a needle cylinder, needles and withdrawing means adapted to move the needles from an advanced to a retracted position to knit, means for advancing needles to a normal level prior to their actuation by said withdrawing means, a plurality of needle lifting cams respectively for moving needles to different and higher levels, means for feeding yarn to be taken by needles at the several levels, respectively, jacks for imparting movement to the needles as determined by said needle lifting cams, certain at least of the jacks each having a series of butts extending longitudinally thereof, a plurality of reader cams eachjmovable longitudinally of the jacks, and guide means for each reader cam, the guide means being so arranged as to cause one reader cam by engagement with jack butts to move the corresponding jack transversely to one extent, and to cause the other reader cam by engagement with jack butts to move the corresponding jack transversely to a greater extent, whereby selectively to determine the lifter cam with which the jack shall engage.

20. A knitting machine having therein in combination a needle carrier, needles, and withdrawing means adapted to move the needles from an advanced to a retracted position to knit, means for advancing needles to a normal level prior to their actuation by said withdrawing means, a plurality of needle lifting cams respectively for moving needles to different and higher levels, means for feeding yarn to be taken by needles at the several levels respectively, jacks for imparting motion to the needles as determined by said needle lifting cams, a series of butts extending longitudinally of each jack, a pair of reader cams each movable longitudinally of the jacks, guide means for one cam disposed at such a distance from the needle carrier as to cause said reader cam by engagement with a jack butt to move the corresponding jack transversely to a predetermined amount, and guide means for the second reader cam so disposed with relation to the needle carrier as to Acause the latter reader cam by engagement with the jack butt to move the corresponding jack transversely to an amount less than that resulting from operation of the-first reader cam. i l 21. A knitting machine having therein in combination, a needle carrier, needles and withdrawing means adapted to move the needles from an advanced to a retracted position to knit, means for advancing needles to a normal level prior t0 their actuation byv said withdrawing means, a plurality of needle lifting cams respectively for moving needles to different and higher levels, means for feeding yarn to be taken by needles at the several levels respectively, jacks for imparting motion to the needles as determined by said needle lifting cams, a series of butts extending longitudinally of each jack, a reader cam movable longitudinally of the jack, guide means for the reader cam so disposed as by engagement with the butt ofany jack accurately to move the corresponding jack in a transverse direction to a predetermined amount, means for adjusting said guide means, and pattern devices for moving the reader cam longitudinally of the series of butts.

22. A knitting machine having therein in combination a needle carrier, needles, and withdrawing means adapted to move the needles from an advanced to a retracted position to knit, means for advancing needles to a normal level prior to their actuation by said withdrawing means, a plurality of needle lifting cams respectively for moving needles to different and higher levels, means for feeding yarn to be taken by needles at the several levels respectively, jacks for imparting motion to the needles as determined by said needle lifting cams, a series of butts extending lengthwise of each jack, a plurality of reader cams each cooperating with a predetermined group of said butts, pattern controlled means .for movingl each reader cam longitudinally of one group of butts, independently adjustable guides for each reader cam, one guide having its cam engaging surface substantially parallel to the needle carrier, and another guide having its cam engaging surface inclined with respect to the needle carrier.

23. A knitting machine having therein in combination a needle carrier, needles and withdrawing means adapted to move the needles from an advanced to a retracted position to knit, means for advancing needles to a normal level prior to their actuation by said withdrawing means, a plurality of needle lifting cams respectively for moving needles to different and higher levels, means for feeding yarn to be taken by needles at the several levels respectively, jacks for imparting motion to the needles as determined by said needle lifting cams,a series of butts extending longitudinally of each jack, some of the butts of said series being of different lengths than others, and means operative by engagement with said butts of the different lengths respectively to cause corresponding jacks to engage one or another of the several lifting cams.

24. A circular independent needle knitting machine having a needle cylinder, needles therein, means for actuating the needles to knit including individual jacks for the needles, lifting cams selectively engageable with said jacks to move the needles to different levels, said cams being at different distances, respectively, from the needle carrier, means for delivering yarn to needles at said several levels, each jack having a series of controlling butts, and a reader cam movable i others, the lengths of said butts being such that engage ent of the reader cam with different lengths of jack butt displaces a given jack radially to different amounts, thereby to determine the operative relation of the jack to the respective lifting cams.

25. A knitting machine comprising a needle carrier, hooked independent needles therein, and means cooperating with the needles to form courses of knitted loops from yarn properly presented for engagement within the needle hooks, means for delivering yarn at a plurality of different levels with reference to the verge of the needle carrier, and selecting means for determining the taking bythe needle hooks of yarn at the different levels, said selecting means comprising a jack cam having a plurality of jack lifting levels, longitudinally movable lifting jacks actuable by said cam for moving the needle hooks to different levels, each jack having a part, at least,

which is movable transversely, relatively to thev length of the jack, toward and from the needle carrier, each such transversely movable jack part having a series of butts, the free ends of some of said butts being at greater distances than others from the needle carrier, at least when such jack part is at the outermost limit of its transverse movement away from the needle carrier, means providing a guide surface at a xed distance from the needlecarrier, said guide surface extending lengthwise of the series of jack butts, and jack positioning means selectively engageable with the jack butts of the series and operating in accordance with the spacing of the free end of the engaged butt from the needle carrier to cause the corresponding jack to engage one or another of the jack cam levels, said positioning means comprising a part which is movable longitudinally of the series of .jack butts while slidably engaging said guide surface, and pattern devices for so moving said positioning means.

26. A knitting machine having therein in combination a needle carrier, needles and withdrawing means adapted to move the needles from an advanced to a retracted position to knit, means for advancing needles to a normal level prior to their actuation by said withdrawing means, a plurality of needle lifting cams respectively for moving needles to different and higher levels, said cams being at different distances respectively, from thev needle carrier, means for feeding yarn tolbe taken by needles at the several levels, respectively, jacks for imparting motion to the needles as-determined by said needle lifting cams,

a series of butts extending longitudinally of each jack, some of said butts being longer than others, a reader cam movable longitudinally of the jack and operative by engagement with butts of different lengths to move the jacks to diiferent distances, respectively, relatively to the needle carrier, thereby to determine the operative relation of said jacks to the respective lifting cams.

2'7. A circular independent needle knitting machine having a needle cylinder, needles therein, means for actuating the needles to knit including individual rocking jacks for each needle, lifting cams selectively cooperating said jacks to move the needles to different levels, said cams being at different distances, respectively, from the needle carrier, and means for delivering yarn to needles at said several levels, each of said jacks having an inner edge adapted at times to extend substantially parallel to the axis of the needle cylinder, and an outer edge which inclines inwardly toward its lower end,-said outer edge coming means adapted to move the needles from an v advanced to a retracted position to knit, means for advancing needles to a normal level prior to their actuation by said withdrawing means, a plurality of needle lifting cams respectively for moving needles to different and higherlevels, said cams being at different distances, respectively, from the needle carrier, means for feeding yarn to be taken by needles at the several levels respectively, jacks for imparting motion to the needles as determined by said needle lifting cams, a series of butts extending longitudinally of each jack,

some of said butts being longer than others, and a reader cam movable longitudinally of the series, said reader cam, by engagement with long butts, moving the corresponding jacks to a greater extent in a radial direction than when such reader cam engages the shorter butts, thereby to determine the operative relation of the jack t0 the lifting cams. I

29. A needle lifting jack for use in a machine of the class described, said jack having a rocking point at its inner edge and intermediate its upper and lower ends, and a series of butts at the outer edge of the jack, some of the butts being longer than others, the outer ends of certain at least of the butts being disposed in planes inclined with respect to that part of the inner edge of the jack which is below the rocking point.

30. A circular independent needle knitting machine having a needle' cylinder, needles therein, means for actuating the needles to knit, said actuating means including individual jacks for the needles, lifting cams selectively engageable with said jacks to move the needles to different levels, said cams being disposed respectively at different distances from the needle cylinder, means for delivering yarn to needles at said several levels, each jack having a series of controlling butts, the butt carrying portions of the jacks being movable toward and from the needle cylinder, and a reader cam movable longitudinally of the series of jack butts, the operative face of said cam remaining at the same distance from the needle cylinder throughout its longitudinal movement, certain of the jack butts being of a length greater than others whereby the engagement of a long butt with the reader cam displaces the butt carrying portion of the jack relatively to the needle cylinder to a greater amount than does the engagement of a shorter jack with the reader cam thereby to determine the operative relation of the jacks to the respective lifting cams.

3l. A knitting machine having therein in combination a needle'carrier, needles and withdrawing means adapted to move the needles from an advanced to a retracted position to knit, means for advancing needles to a normal level prior to their actuation by said withdrawing means, a plurality of needle lifting cams respectively for moving needles to different and higher levels, the operative surfaces of said cams being disposed at different distances respectively from the needle carrier, means for feeding yarn to be taken by needles at the several levels, respectively, jacks Lesacsi for imparting motion to the needles as determined by said needle lifting cams, a series of butts extending longitudinally of each jack, the butt carrying portion of each jack being movable toward and from the needle carrier, some of the jack butts being longer than others, a reader cam movable longitudinally of the jacks, the operative face of the reader cam being disposed at the same distance from the needle carrier throughout the longitudinal movement of said cam, and pattern controlled means for positioning said cam for engagement with any selected needle butt, the engagement of a long butt with the reader cam causing its jack to move toward the needle carrier to a greater extent than does engagement of a shorter butt Vwith said reader cam thereby to determine the operative relation of the jacks to the respective lifting cams.

32. A circular independent needle knitting machine having a needle cylinder, needles therein, means for actuating the needles to knit, said actuating means including individual rocking jacks for each needle, lifting cams selectively cooperating with said jacks to move the needles to diierent levels, the operative surfaces of' said cams being disposed at dierent distances respectively from the needle cylinder, and means for delivering yarn to needles at said several levels, each of said jacks having an inner edge adapted at times to extend substantially parallel to the axis of the needle cylinder and an outer edge which inclines inwardly toward its lower end, the outer edge of the jack having a series of butts some of which are longer than others, a reader cam movable in a path substantially parallel to the axis of the needle cylinder and engageable with the jack butts for rocking the jacks inwardly, the engagement of a long butt with the reader cam rocking the corresponding jack to a greater degree than does the engagement of a shorter butt with the reader cam, thereby to determine the operative relation of the jacks to the respective lifting cams and means for positioning the reader cam longitudinally of the needle cylinder.

33. A knitting machine having -therein in combination a needle carrier, needles and Withdrawing means adapted to move the needles from an advanced to a retracted position to knit, means for advancing needles to a normal level prior to their actuation by said withdrawing means, a plurality of needle lifting cams respectively for moving needles to different and higher levels, the operative faces of said cams being disposed at different distances from the axis of the needle cylinder, means for feeding yarn to be taken by needles at the several levels respectively, jacks for imparting motion to the needles as determined by said needle lifting cams, a series of butts extending longitudinally of each jack, some of said butts being longer than others, and a reader cam movable longitudinally of the series, the operative face of said reader cam remaining at the same distance from the needle cylinder regardless of its longitudinal position whereby engagement of long butts with said reader cam moves the corresponding jacks to a greater distance in a transverse direction than does the engagement of relatively shorter butts with the reader cam, thereby to determine the operative relation of the jacks to the respective lifting cams.

34. A needle actuating jack for use in a machine of the class described, said jack having a rocking point .at its inner edge, and a series of butts at the outer edge of the jack, some of the butts being longer than others, the outer ends of certain of the butts being disposed in planes inclined to that part of the inner edge of the jack which is below the rocking point, and the outer ends of other butts being substantially parallel to Vsaid portion of the inner edge of the jack.

ALBERT E. PAGE. 

